Location of accessories in kitchens

[tonycoysh]

Ok, quick question:

A customer wants a grid switch system installed as they are having a new kitchen installed and have rightly been told by the fitter that the switched FCU's are too close to the sink and hob (2 lots of 2. 2 of which located within 300mm of the sink and 2 located within 300mm of the hob) They are having their cooker in a unit at high level, worktop height. The cooker switch is about 750mm to the left of this unit and I was planning on installing the grid switch between the cooker cabinet and the cooker switch.

My question:

Am I right in thinking that because the cooker is in a cabinet the 300mm distance doesn't apply or should I be mindful of this when positioning the grid switch?

The customer isn't too worried where I put it in the 750mm space but I want to ask mainly out of interest because I can't find anything to back this up and of course I don't want to be bitten in the a*** later.

On a side note the kitchen fitter said they could move his existing switched FCU's at a cost of £100 per FCU and they hadn't mentioned anything about the fact they have no RCD protection on any of the circuits they were going to work on!

Thanks

 

[malcolmsanford]

Where are all these distances that this kitchen fitter and you seem to be quoting ................I expect from a guide .............and that is the key work guide.

As long as you work to the BS 7671-2008 when doing kitchens you are ok, and all these guides refer you to the regs.

Well he is a kitchen fitter what did you expect him to know about RCDs and the regulations ....................if I want brain surgery I'll ask a doctor, if I want my drains cleaned I wouldn't ask the same doctor................

 

[brman]

but as 7671 doesn't mention kitchens then I guess complying to the guidelines in the electricians guide is the next best thing?

But to answer the question, when you say cooker do you mean an oven? or a hob? I ask because the 300mm guideline is to prevent accessories being above a hob, not an oven.

 

[plugsandsparks]

Kitchen is not a special location. i would use an electricians common sense in locating functional switching devices and the like. To me that means not behind a hob where you have to reach across a hot stove. They need to be readily accessable so with the space you have left there are probably only a few options in a kitchen.

 

[ezzzekiel]

300mm spacing rules and the like come from building regulations not wiring regulations, and sometimes just can't be achieved, common sense must prevail.

 

[Guitarist]

300mm spacing rules and the like come from building regulations not wiring regulations, and sometimes just can't be achieved, common sense must prevail.

Agree. These are recommendations and not rules. As long as you don't have sockets or switches directly over a hob then you are not actually contravening any regs. There have even been cases in the past where sockets have been behind sinks on large housing projects due to kitchen designs changing. Whilst undesirable, they do not break any rules. (I would not recommend this just for the record....)
I'm assuming that these kitchen fitters have limited scope scheme membership to be able to move sockets ?

 

[Deleted member 26818]

The 300mm rule/recommendation as far as I'm aware, only applies to socket-outlets, not to other accessories.

 

[Guitarist]

The 300mm rule/recommendation as far as I'm aware, only applies to socket-outlets, not to other accessories.

Indeed Spin. I was really referring to the fact that NO sockets OR switches should be above a hob. Space constraints mean that often socket outlets do need to be closer to sinks and hobs than 300mm tho (for the sake of the OP)

 

[PC Electrics]

This 300mm 'guidance' originates from the NIC, not building regs (though the guidance may be quoted in the Electricians Guide to Building Regs).

There is no such regulation in BS7671. If these are pre-existing FCUs and provided they are not directly over a sink, then why not just leave them be? Sounds like Mr KF is just looking to boost his profit from the job.

There is no regulation says the client must move them - advise him accordingly and allow him to choose what he would like to do. Get the brownie points for giving honest advice and you'll have a client for life.

 

[PC Electrics]

And yes, I think it does only apply to sockets.

 

[tonycoysh]

Thanks all for you advice and opinions.

I appreciate that there is no requirement under BS 7671 and the 300mm is only guidance, but to me it's guidance that makes sense in this circumstance, where it is possible, with all accessories.

Thanks.

 

[ezzzekiel]

I agree if possible then why not, but not always an option